Watershed Academy Sponsors Nitrate in Groundwater Webcast

The Tuesday Webcast will provide a national overview of the nitrate in groundwater issue and highlight a case study in Oregon’s Southern Willamette Valley.

Mar 24, 2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has slated a Webcast titled, "Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Series: Nitrate in Ground Water" for 1 p.m. EDT on March 29.

This two-hour Webcast will highlight an emerging issue of increased nitrate loading to groundwater, a growing national concern. According to EPA’s most recent data, public water systems using groundwater as a drinking source serve more than 300 million people nationwide. The total number of people drinking groundwater increases when factoring in households supplied by private drinking water wells. Groundwater can become contaminated by nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) leaching from the land surface into the groundwater supply.

In a September 2010 report, “Nutrients in the Nation’s Streams and Groundwater,” the U.S. Geological Survey monitored and documented nitrate levels above 10 mg/L, which is the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) set by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations through the Safe Drinking Water Act, in more than 20 percent of shallow household wells in agricultural areas. Additionally, from 1998 to 2008, the number of nitrate violations recorded at public water systems around the country has nearly doubled. Surface sources of drinking water are also at risk. For example, stormwater runoff can carry nutrients directly to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs – some of which are used as drinking water supplies. Capital costs to remove nitrates from public water systems or to provide alternative water supplies for individual households can be very high, with some communities spending millions of dollars.

The Webcast will provide a national overview of the nitrate in groundwater issue and highlight a case study in Oregon’s Southern Willamette Valley.

Participants are encouraged to download the presentation, which will be posted prior to the Webcast. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.